Learn the secrets behind creating a championship high jumper! Jim Dilling shares the training and methods that brought him success, both as a coach and athlete, in the high jump on a national level.

This video is loaded with over 50 drills and progressions to help you enhance your training inventory. Use this start-to-finish jump training method with your athletes as Coach Dilling takes you through baseline testing, a jumps-specific warmup, a static stretch routine, relevant lifting and strength training, plyometrics and jump exercises, a stadium stair series, and methods to increase speed for a consistent approach and powerful takeoff for the high jump.

Warm-Up Routine

A well designed warm-up sets a strong foundation for any practice. Coach Dilling breaks down the components of an effective general warm-up, while incorporating high jump specific exercises that are designed to engage the appropriate muscle groups and increase hip mobility to help athletes prepare for the demands of a high jump session. Static stretches important to jump training are reviewed and explained, along with a complete sprint drill series consisting of 32 exercises. Using drills like serpentine runs and accelerations, Coach Dilling helps you create a progressive warm up that can match the demands of any session.

Weight Room and Strength Training

Developing strength in the weight room is an effective way to quickly improve jump performance. Coach Dilling demonstrates 11 high jump specific strength training drills and ways to safely progress from unweighted to weighted exercises. Most of the lifts in this segment are single leg, intended to develop leg strength for a powerful drive leg and takeoff in the high jump. The controlled motions of these lifts will also help improve coordination and balance for athletes.

The high jump is a technical event, requiring power, timing, and coordination. In the plyometric section, Coach Dilling shows a mixture of double and single leg exercises that are further geared toward developing explosive power and capitalizing on the foundation built in the weight room. These exercises focus on specific high jump skills such as double arm swings, keeping a dorsiflexed foot and high quality and quick contacts with each jump movement. A variety of jump drills will create a strong and stable core in your athletes.

Approach, Curve Running, and Takeoff Drills

The last segment of this video takes the jump mechanics and skills athletes have been working on and applies them to the approach and takeoff portions of the high jump. Coach Dilling explains why:

Consistency with the approach and your steps is the only way to ensure success

Curve running and mechanics will help you keep your speed through the jump

You should learn proper angle and placement for jump takeoff for bar clearance

Jump drills are reviewed to help master the penultimate step and create a powerful final step for takeoff.

Coach Dilling gives you an outstanding foundation of training to develop as a jumper. He focuses on the process and mastery of the skills leading up to the jump and provides a variety of ways to become a better high jumper through sharing his experiences and training methods.